Our alumnus Tim Höttges (Class of 1988) studied Business Administration at the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences at the University of Cologne. After his studies he worked for the management consultancy Mummert + Partner (now Sopra Steria Group SA) until 1992. He then switched to VIAG AG, where he worked in various areas, including consulting and auditing, controlling as well as corporate planning, ultimately moving to T-Mobile as Managing Director of Finance and Controlling in 2000. In 2002, he became Chairman of the Management Board of T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH and was then appointed to the Management Board of T-Com in December 2006, taking responsibility for broadband and landline telephony. From 2009 until the end of 2013, Tim Höttges was Chief Financial Officer of Deutsche Telekom AG and was elected Chairman of the Management Board at the beginning of 2014, succeeding René Obermann as CEO of Telekom. He is also a member of the supervisory boards of Mercedes-Benz AG, Mercedes-Benz Group AG, and T-Mobile US. In our alumni interview, we spoke to him about why curiosity and openness have been key to his success, how Telekom has transformed from a ‘dull government agency’ into the world‘s fifth-largest telecommunications company, and why, for him, AI is a top priority management issue.

Dear Mr Höttges, after completing your studies at WiSo, in 2000 you joined Deutsche Telekom, where you have held various management positions over the years. Since 2014, you have been Chairman of the Board of Management of Deutsche Telekom AG. Which of the skills or ways of thinking you learned during your studies still inform your management style or problem-solving strategies today?

It was my interest in business psychology that drew me to Cologne. At that time, major US brands were beginning to enter the European market, transforming consumption and advertising in a way that I found fascinating. What I encountered was primarily mathematics. The University of Cologne had a strong focus on mathematics and analytics, with everything being expressed and explained in terms and formulas. This had a lasting impact on me. I learned to take an analytical approach to decision-making, asking myself: what are the pros and cons? However, what I didn't learn in Cologne was that 50 per cent of business is about emotions. People need a good gut feeling to make a purchase with conviction.

During your more than two decades at Telekom, you have witnessed numerous technological upheavals. In view of ever faster developments and digital transformations in the telecommunications sector, what skills do managers and executives need to have today? 

For me, curiosity and openness are the two most important factors for success. This applies to dealing with people as much as it does to technology. I always try to understand other people, comprehend their motives and ways of thinking, and I love it when I learn something new as a result. We must be guided by the same openness when it comes to new technology. Artificial intelligence is changing everything, especially the way we work. Despite all the unanswered questions, I see a great opportunity here. I expect the same openness from others.

Since its beginnings, Telekom has evolved into an international company with a presence not only in Europe but also in North America. Under your leadership it has become the world’s fifth-largest telecommunications company. How does a corporation’s identity change when it evolves from a national provider to a global player? And how do you develop and maintain a consistent corporate culture?

Not only were we a national provider, we were also a dull government agency with fax machines, paper clips, long corridors and dreariness. Television comedy shows were dedicated to dissatisfied Telekom customers. Our journey to becoming a company with 261 million mobile customers, 25 million landline connections and 22 million broadband contracts in over 50 countries was long, rocky and worthwhile. We have constantly reinvented ourselves.

As we come to the end of the interview, please complete the following sentence: When I think back to my student days in Cologne, I remember...

… a quote from Professor Erwin Grochla, who was an institution at the time: ‘You are not here to accumulate knowledge, but to learn how to think.’

And is there anything you would you like to share with our current students? Do you have three tips for studying?

Stay curious. Surround yourself with people from whom you can learn. You also need a little luck, but that alone is not enough. So here's my third piece of advice: Be ready to seize opportunities and make the most of it!

Mr Höttges, thank you very much for your time and for this interview!

Questions by Pascal Tambornino